This thread is more of a frustrated vent than a request for advice, but input is appreciated.
I am talking fly. When I first got back into swimming (about 6 months), I timed myself for 25s. I went 15/16 from a push, but I could only do it twice before I died. After a few weeks, I could hit 14/15 for 2 or three. I continue to do timed 25s on my sprint day so that I can measure my progress. I have hit 13.
Last practice, I swam 14/15 for 8 25s. I have also added a 25 slow freestyle in between and now I do them on 1:30, which is just enough rest to feel fresh on each. It sure feels like I am a lot better, but If I am not faster, am I really? I am sure I'm a lot faster for a 50 or 100 (ie I can now survive 100) due to endurance, but shouldn't I be faster too? It doesn't seem to make a difference how fast I turn it over, either. If I am swimming hard, I swim 15.
Breaststroke is actually opposite. I can build those (actually, just by going all out, I build) as I am around 18 for the first couple and 16 by the 8th. I have improved 6 seconds in my breaststroke 25 since I started.
Total yardage is about 2000 3 times a week, which is all the time I can afford to get to the pool these days. Maybe I am getting impatient. I'd call it a plateau, but there was really no progress before it flattened out.
:rantonoff:
what are your swimming goals?
what's your age
height
weight
previous swim experience
make a video of you swimming fast and put it up on youtube
read swim faster faster.
ande
Thanks everyone. This helps. The real test will be my meet on June 12. If I beat my 50 M fly time from 6 weeks ago, then I am doing fine. Speedo, I bet you're right and thanks for that. Part of what started me thinking about this is I found an old 50 fly card from when I was 11 and the time is about what I can hit now. :frustrated:
Ande: I am 40, 5'9", 175, and I was a decent high school swimmer. I was accepted on a Division I team but did not swim due to injury. Total swimming time was 10 years. My lifetime best in 50y fly is low 24, swum in relays my senior year. I lost 35 pounds in the last year by counting calories, weight training and using a treadmill for cardio with the occasional swim (until December when I added 3-4 days of swimming and started trying for real).
My standard workout is 400 warmup, 400 pulls and kicks, 800 drills (200 each stroke) and then either SDK, 50 sprints, or broken IMs until I run out of time, then cool down. On sprint day, I do the 400 sprints of *** and fly instead of the drills. When things get easier, I add to them -- I think I am going to add 100 full stroke at the end of each drill this week.
I stopped lifting weights in March because it felt counterproductive to my swimming. I was in great lifting shape but not so good swimming shape, and I was stuck in the flexibility department. I plan to start weights again after my next meet. I'd like to do a video again soon.
I have read swim faster faster twice, and I intend to do so again. My goal is to hit NQTs for each of the events I like to swim: 50 and 100 *** and fly and 100 IM, and maybe 50 and 100 free (I am starting to think about 200 IM and ***, too) before next year's nationals.
:)
what are your swimming goals?
what's your age
height
weight
previous swim experience
make a video of you swimming fast and put it up on youtube
read swim faster faster.
ande
Thanks everyone. This helps. The real test will be my meet on June 12. If I beat my 50 M fly time from 6 weeks ago, then I am doing fine. Speedo, I bet you're right and thanks for that. Part of what started me thinking about this is I found an old 50 fly card from when I was 11 and the time is about what I can hit now. :frustrated:
Ande: I am 40, 5'9", 175, and I was a decent high school swimmer. I was accepted on a Division I team but did not swim due to injury. Total swimming time was 10 years. My lifetime best in 50y fly is low 24, swum in relays my senior year. I lost 35 pounds in the last year by counting calories, weight training and using a treadmill for cardio with the occasional swim (until December when I added 3-4 days of swimming and started trying for real).
My standard workout is 400 warmup, 400 pulls and kicks, 800 drills (200 each stroke) and then either SDK, 50 sprints, or broken IMs until I run out of time, then cool down. On sprint day, I do the 400 sprints of *** and fly instead of the drills. When things get easier, I add to them -- I think I am going to add 100 full stroke at the end of each drill this week.
I stopped lifting weights in March because it felt counterproductive to my swimming. I was in great lifting shape but not so good swimming shape, and I was stuck in the flexibility department. I plan to start weights again after my next meet. I'd like to do a video again soon.
I have read swim faster faster twice, and I intend to do so again. My goal is to hit NQTs for each of the events I like to swim: 50 and 100 *** and fly and 100 IM, and maybe 50 and 100 free (I am starting to think about 200 IM and ***, too) before next year's nationals.
:)
